Apparatus for automatically cutting connecting tow of continuous filamentary material between tote boxes

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for automatically cutting a connecting tow of continuous filamentary material that extends between tote boxes that are in loading and off-loading positions, respectively. The connecting tow is engaged and consequently is held by a member attached to a carriage that moves between the tote boxes, and is guided and moved to an electrically energized heat severing device that is located to one side of the path along which the tote boxes move, whereupon the connecting tow is cut by the heat severing device and one of the cut ends is caused to drop into the tote box that is in loading position.

PATENTEBAPR 18 m2 SHEET 1 [IF 2 MERTON L DIBBLE EDWARD AMOREHEADINVENTORS ATTORNEY United States Patent Dibble etal.

1451 Apr. 18, 1972 l9/159A ....19/159A ....19/l59A 19/66TX 3,354,51311/1967 Fornes....... 3,381,342 5/1968 Selby 3,546,722 12/1970Watson...............................

721 Inventors: Merton L. 111111111; Edward A. Morehead,Primao'Emminer-Donald y both of Kingsport, Tenn.

Attorney cecil D. Quillen, Jr. and Malcolm G. Dunn [73] Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, ABSTRACT NY.

1 Apparatus for automaticall y cutting a connecting tow of continuousfilamentary material that extends between tote boxes that are in loadingand off-loading positions, respectively. The connecting tow is engagedand consequently is held by a member attached to a carriage that movesbetween the tote boxes, and is guided and moved to an electricallyenergized heat severing device that is located to one side of the pathalong which the tote boxes move, whereupon the connecting tow is cut bythe heat severin one of the cut ends loading posmon [22] Filed: Nov. 9,1970 [2]] App]. No.: 88,004

[52] U.S. Cl.19/159 A, 28/21, 53/23, 53/123, 83/171, 83/566 [51] Int.7/10 g device and [58] Field ofSearch...................83/167,171, 566,569, 701

is caused to drop into the tote box that is in [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 3,351,992 11/1967 7 Carter............

12 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEMPR 18 I972 3,656, 383 SHEET 2 BF 2MERTON L. DIBBLE EDWARD AMOREHEAD INVENTQRS ATTORNEY APPARATUS FORAUTOMATICALLY CUTTING CONNECTING TOW OF CONTINUOUS FILAMENTARY MATERIALBETWEEN TOTE BOXES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention isdirected to an apparatus for automatically cutting a connecting tow ofcontinuous filamentary material that extends between tote boxes that arein loading and off-loading positions, respectively.

In the manufacture of man-made fibers, such as from cellulose acetateand polyester, to name only two examples, fiber is extruded or spun froma number of orifices in a continuous filamentary form from each cabinetof a series of aligned cabinets with each cabinet yarn end being formedof a number of continuous filaments and being joined with other cabinetyarn ends of the cabinet series to form a running tow or tow band" thatmay be subsequently puddled into tote boxes and stored in preparationfor subsequent processing.

The puddling operation may involve an apparatus that moves back andforth above a tote box that is in loading position so as to puddle orlay the tow in even, orderly layers in the tote box so that uponsubsequentprocessing the tow may be readily and orderly withdrawn fromthe tote box without the layers of the tow becoming so entangled thatwithdrawal becomes an impossibility.

When a tote box has been filled, it is then moved from the loadingposition to an off-loading position for subsequent disposition. Theoperator of the particular line where the tote boxes are located, uponobserving that the tote box has moved to the off-loading position, walksover to the location, and cuts the connecting tow between the toteboxes. He drops one of the cut ends into the empty tote box that hasjust'been moved into the loading position and into which tow is beingpuddled or continuously supplied, and places an identification tag uponthe other cut end that is attached to the tow that is in the loaded totebox that has been moved to the off-loading position.

One of the difficulties encountered in the operation described above isderived from the fact that the operator usually has the responsibilityfor a number of lines since it takes anywhere from 30 minutes to 2hours, depending on denier size, for a puddler to fill a tote box, andtherefore it is not economical to have only one operator for each line.The operator usually has a number of other responsibilities, and may notobserve the movement of the loaded tote box into the off-loadingposition as soon as it occurs or else may be engaged in another duty andis thus not able to respond immediately. In the meantime, the puddlercontinues to puddle tow into the empty tote box. When that part of thetow that extends between the empty and loaded tote boxes is cut, thelength of the one cut end will fall into the empty tote box across atleast some of the layers that have been puddled thus far into the emptytote box. Later when the tow is withdrawn, the length of the cut endacross the layers will interfere with the withdrawal of those layers andpossibly result in an entanglement and breaking of the tow.

The movement of the tote box from loading position to an off-loadingposition is usually termed doffing. If the tow between the tote boxes isnot cut immediately when doffing occurs, at least two problems areencountered. First, when the tow is cut, a long section of the tow willbe dropped on top of the layers of tow that have been puddled thus farin the empty tote box, as mentioned above. This will sometimes causecreel breakouts and thus uneven runouts during withdrawal in subsequentprocessing of the tow. Second, it is possible for the weight of the towhanging from the full or loaded tote box to pull a quantity of the towinto the empty tote box onto the layers puddled thus far into that totebox or onto the conveyor along which and by which the tote boxes movefrom position to position.

Since it is not always convenient for an operator to be on hand exactlyat scheduled doff time, he will occasionally doff a tote box early orlate in order that he be present to sever the tow as the tote box isdoffed. This can cause considerable waste due to uneven runouts in thecreel. For instance, tow may be simultaneously withdrawn from a numberof tote boxes lined up one behind the other or in a creel with theindividual tows from each tote box'being subsequently combined togetherto form a still larger or wider and thicker tow or tow band. Obviously,if an operator has doffed early or has doffed late with respect to oneor more tote boxes in such lineup, some tote boxes will run out of towbefore the other tote boxes do. This, then, is the meaning of the unevenrunouts in the creel" mentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly an object of the invention is toobviate the difficulties and disadvantages inherent in the operationdescribed above by providing an apparatus that, without requiring thepresence of an operator, will automatically cut a connecting tow ofcontinuous filamentary material that extends between a tote box that isin loading position and a tote box that is in an off-loading position.

The apparatus will respond automatically upon movement of a tote boxfrom the loading to the off-loading position, and part of the apparatusis positioned between the tote boxes when the tote boxes are in theirrespective positions. The apparatus includes an electrically energizedheat severing device that is positioned to one side of the path alongwhich the tote boxes move from one position to the next and is locatedbetween the tote boxes, and a carriage that carries and moves a memberinto engagement with the connecting tow for guiding and moving theconnecting tow to the heat severing device which cuts the tow uponengagement of the tow with the heat severing device. The carriage alsohas a second member that serves to extend the tow from the firstmentioned member and across the plane in which the heat severing devicelies so as to assure engagement of the tow with the heat severingdevice. The apparatus also includes a jet device, and the second memberon the carriage serves a further purpose of guiding one of the cut endsof the tow to the jet device which forces or blows the one cut end intothe empty tote box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus and illustrating portionsof the tote boxes in their loading and off-loading positions,respectively, and the puddler for puddling tow into the tote box that isin the loading position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the apparatus andillustrating the connecting tow immediately after it has been cut, thebrush-like member on the removable carriage for engaging the tow and forholding one of the cut ends of the tow, and the electrically energizedheat severing device; and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view in perspective of the arrangement of theelectrical circuitry for energizing the apparatus upon a tote boxengaging a switch when the loaded tote box has moved to the off-loadingposition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In reference to FIG. I, 10designates the puddler for puddling tow 12 into the tote box 14 that isin the loading position. The puddler jet device 16 is guided back andforth relative to the tote box by the beam 18 that moves along thegeared rail 20 in a manner well known. The remaining mechanism shownassociated with the puddler will not be described because it is notdeemed to be part of the invention. The puddler serves to position thetow in even and orderly layers in the tote box so that the tow cansubsequently be withdrawn without difiiculty.

In reference now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the apparatus of the inventionincludes an electrically energized heat severing device 22, a movablecarriage assembly 24, a cylinder assembly 26 that may be pneumaticallyoperated, and a control panel 28 that is adapted to electricallyenergize the heat severing device and actuate the movement of thecylinder assembly and carriage assembly upon the tote box being moved toan offloading position as shown at 30 in FIGS. 1 and 3, when the totebox has been loaded with tow and has tripped the switch device 32.

The electrically energized heat severing device 22 is positioned to oneside of the path along which the tote boxes are moved from one positionto the next, and is located between the tote boxes when they are intheir respective positions of loading and off-loading. The deviceincludes a support bracket 34, an upper clamping fixture 36, a lowerclamping fixture 38 and a strand-like material, preferably a ribbon 40that is made of nichrome steel. The support bracket 34 may be adjustablysupported on one end of the diamond shape guide rod 42 that is supportedby the stanchion 44.

The movable carriage assembly 24 is adapted to be moved back and forthalong the diamond shaped guide rod 42 and includes the traveler orcarriage 46, which is internally configured to conform to the shape ofthe guide rod 42, a mounting bracket 48 for the rake or brush-likemember 50, and a mounting bracket 52 for a guide member 54.

The rake or brush-like member 50 and the guide member 54 are attached toand extend downwardly from the carriage for movement with the carriage.The guide member is preferably made of flexible material such asNYLATRON GS nylon molybdenumdisulfide formulation, and the rake orbrush-like member is preferably pivotally mounted in a directiontransverse to the path of movement of the carriage, for reasons thatwill be described. The rake may be in the nature of a wire brush so thatupon engagement with the connecting tow 55, the tow will adhere to therake even after the connecting tow has been cut so that the operator mayreadily grasp the cut end of the tow adhering to the rake and place anidentification tag on it. In other words, the rake also serves toprevent one of the cut ends from falling into the loaded tote box orperhaps onto the conveyor (not shown) which moves the tote boxes fromone position to the next. The rake also serves a further purpose in itsholding function that is essential to the effectiveness of theoperation. It is necessary to prevent the connecting tow, as it is movedinto engagement with the heat severing device, from slipping along itslength relative to the cutting ribbon. If permitted to slip, the mass ofthe connecting tow will tend to cool the heated ribbon and thus theribbon will not cut the tow. Therefore, the adherence of the tow to thebrush-like member will prevent such slippage and the full heat severingcapability will be brought to bear at that location of the connectingtow that lies in the plane of the ribbon as the connecting tow isextended between the brush-like member 50 and the guide member 54.

It will be appreciated that the brush-like member 50 can be replaced byother suitable means capable of performing the holding function, withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. It will also be readilyrecognized that if it is desired that the other cut end be held insteadof letting it drop into the empty tote box, that the guide member 54 canbe replaced by a member similar to the brush-like member or one capableof performing a holding function.

The cylinder assembly 26 that serves to move the carriage assembly 24 toand from the heat severing device 22 includes a piston 56 (FIG. 2) thatis driven back and forth within the cylinder 58, with a cable 60 beingattached to each end of the piston. The cable is also connected at eachend of a bracket connection 62 disposed at the top of the carriage 46.The piston is preferably caused to be driven back and forth within thecylinder 58 by air pressure, and the cable 60 in turn is caused to pullthe carriage assembly 24 back and forth accordingly. As may be seen fromthe drawings, the cable extends through the end of the cylinder at eachend and over a pulley 64 adjacent each end of the cylinder forsubsequent connection to the bracket connection.

It will also be recognized that other mechanisms may be used in place ofthe cylinder assembly and cable 60 to move the carriage assembly backand forth, such as a linear motor, for example.

OPERATION When the tote box 30 is in the off-loading position it engagesthe switch device 32, which may be a micro-switch, which thereuponthrough the control panel 28 actuates a fourway solenoid valve 66 (FIG.3) and actuates the heating of the cutting ribbon 40. As may be seenfrom FIG. 3, the main supply of air enters through conduit 68 forsubsequent travel through a branch conduit at 70 to the four-waysolenoid valve 66 and through branch conduit at 72 to a solenoid valve74 which serves to direct air to the air jet device 76 that serves apurpose to be described. The solenoid valves are electrically connected,as shown in FIG. 3 by the dash lines 78, 80. The switch device iselectrically connected as also shown in FIG. 3 by the dash lines 82. Theelectrically energized heat severing device is electrically connected(FIG. 3) as shown by the dash lines 84. The dash lines 86 indicate thepower source.

The four-way solenoid valve 66 enables the air to pass through theproper end of the cylinder to cause the piston 56 of the cylinderassembly 26 to move, thereby moving the carriage assembly 24 between thefull and empty tote boxes. The rake or brush-like member is brought intoengagement with the connecting tow 55 that is between the tote boxes,and guides and moves the connecting tow to the heat severing device; thetow is cut upon engagement with the heated ribbon 40. As previouslydescribed, one cut end of the tow remains adhered to the rake forsubsequent tagging by the operator and the other cut end drops into thebottom of the empty tote box. The guide member 54 further serves toguide the one cut end to the air jet device, that is attached to thesupport bracket 34. The jet device serves to assure that the cut enddoes not adhere in any manner to the top edge of the empty tote box butrather is forced or blown into the tote box.

The cutting ribbon 40 remains heated only during the traversing movementof the carriage assembly 24 and is deactuated by a conventional timedelay unit (not shown).

The carriage assembly 24 remains in the position to which it has movedwhen it moved the connecting tow to the heated ribbon until the tote boxthat is in the off-loading position has been moved away, whereupon theswitch device 32 is deactuated and the carriage assembly is returned tothe far end of the guide rod 42 in preparation for the next doff cycle.

The guide member 54 is made flexible in the event that a tote box shouldbe inadvertently conveyed thereagainst while the guide member is in itspath, thereby preventing any damage to the guide member.

The rake or brush-like member 50 is pivotally mounted in the directiontransverse to the movement of the carriage assembly 24 for the samereason, i.e. in the event that a tote box should inadvertently beconveyed thereagainst while the rake is in the path of the tote box.

Since the cutting of the connecting tow will now occur shortly after theempty tote box has been moved into the loading position, the length ofthe cut end will usually drop to the bottom of the tote box before acomplete layer of tow has been puddled thereacross. In this manner, thelayers of tow will not be obstructed when subsequently withdrawn forfurther processing.

While the invention has been described in detail with particularreference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood thatvariations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scopeof the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appendedclaims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for automatically cutting a connecting tow of continuousfilamentary material that extends between a tote box that is in loadingposition and into which the tow is being continuously supplied and atote box that has been moved from the loading position after having beenfilled with tow to an off-loading position for subsequent disposition,the apparatus comprising:

an electrically energized heat severing device adapted to be energizedfor cutting the connecting tow between said tote boxes, the device beingdisposed to one side of the path along which the tote boxes move fromone position to the next and being at a location that is between the twotote boxes;

means movable to and away from the heat severing device and adapted toengage, guide and move the connecting tow that is between said toteboxes to .the heat severing device;

means for moving the movable means; and

means adapted in response to the movement of a tote box from the loadingposition to the off-loading position for actuating the means for movingthe movable means and for electrically energizing the heat severingdevice for cutting the connecting tow when the connecting tow is movedto the heat severing device.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim I, and wherein said electricallyenergized heat severing device includes a ribbon of material adapted tobe heated when energized and adapted to cut the connecting tow when theconnecting tow has been moved against the heated ribbon.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and wherein said movable meansincludes a member adapted to engage the connecting tow as the movablemeans moves the connecting tow to the heat severing device.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and wherein said movable means alsoincludes a second member for engaging the connecting tow and extendingthe connecting tow from said first mentioned member and across the planein which the heat severing device lies.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and wherein the member adapted toengage the connecting tow is pivotally mounted for pivotable movement ina direction transverse to the path of movement of the movable means.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, and wherein said movable meansfurther includes a carriage to and from which said member adapted toengage the connecting tow and said second member are connected.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and wherein said means for actuatingand for electrically energizing said heat severing device includes aswitch means that is disposed and adapted to be engaged by a tote boxwhen the tote box is moved into the off-loading position.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and wherein said member comprises abrush-like member with the bristles thereof being adapted to adhere tothe connecting tow upon engagement with the tow.

9. Apparatus ad defined in claim 1, and wherein said means for movingthe movable means includes a hollow cylinder and a pneumatic pistonoperable within the hollow cylinder, and the hollow cylinder beingdisposed above and between the tote boxes when the tote boxes are intheir respective positions of loading and off-loading.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, and wherein the heat severingdevice further includes a bracket for supporting the ribbon of material.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and wherein an air jet device isprovided adjacent the location of the heat severing of the connectingtow and when the connecting tow is cut, is adapted to direct a jet ofair against one of the cut ends of the connecting tow so as to force thecut end into the tote box that is in the loading position.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 11, and wherein said movable meansalso includes a second member for engaging the connecting tow, and whenthe connecting tow is cut, is adapted to guide one of the cut ends tothe jet device.

P0-1050 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PatentNo.I Q Dated April 97 I Inventods) Merton L. Dib ble and Edwerd Morehe'adIt is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patentare hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 5, line 22, between 'tow and "as the" insert ---between' saidtote boxes and hold the connecting tow--.

Column 6; line l5, delete "ad" end'insert therefor.

----as---. v I

Signed and sealed this 5th day of September v1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER JR. I ROBERT GOTTSCHALK' Attesting OfficerCommissioner of-Patents

1. Apparatus for automatically cutting a connecting tow of continuousfilamentary material that extends between a tote box that is in loadingposition and into which the tow is being continuously supplied and atote box that has been moved from the loading position after having beenfilled with tow to an offloading position for subsequent disposition,the apparatus comprising: an electrically energized heat severing deviceadapted to be energized for cutting the connecting tow between said toteboxes, the device being disposed to one side of the path along which thetote boxes move from one position to the next and being at a locationthat is between the two tote boxes; means movable to and away from theheat severing device and adapted to engage, guide and move theconnecting tow that is between said tote boxes to the heat severingdevice; means for moving the movable means; and means adapted inresponse to the movement of a tote box from the loading position to theoff-loading position for actuating the means for moving the movablemeans and for electrically energizing the heat severing device forcutting the connecting tow when the connecting tow is moved to the heatsevering device.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and wherein saidelectrically energized heat severing device includes a ribbon ofmaterial adapted to be heated when energized and adapted to cut theconnecting tow when the connecting tow has been moved against the heatedribbon.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and wherein said movablemeans includes a member adapted to engage the connecting tow betweensaid tote boxes and hold the connecting tow as the movable means movesthe connecting tow to the heat severing device.
 4. Apparatus as definedin claim 3, and wherein said movable means also includes a second memberfor engaging the connecting tow and extending the connecting tow fromsaid first mentioned member and across the plane in which the heatsevering device lies.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and whereinthe member adapted to engage the connecting tow is pivotally mounted forpivotable movement in a direction transverse to the path of movement ofthe movable means.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, and wherein saidmovable means further includes a carriage to and from which said memberadapted to engage the connecting tow and said second member areconnected.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and wherein said meansfor actuating and for electrically energizing said heat severing deviceincludes a switch means that is disposed and adapted to be engaged by atote box when the tote box is moved into the off-loading position. 8.Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and wherein said member comprises abrush-like member with the bristles thereof being adapted to adhere tothe connectiNg tow upon engagement with the tow.
 9. Apparatus as definedin claim 1, and wherein said means for moving the movable means includesa hollow cylinder and a pneumatic piston operable within the hollowcylinder, and the hollow cylinder being disposed above and between thetote boxes when the tote boxes are in their respective positions ofloading and off-loading.
 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, andwherein the heat severing device further includes a bracket forsupporting the ribbon of material.
 11. Apparatus as defined in claim 1,and wherein an air jet device is provided adjacent the location of theheat severing of the connecting tow and when the connecting tow is cut,is adapted to direct a jet of air against one of the cut ends of theconnecting tow so as to force the cut end into the tote box that is inthe loading position.
 12. Apparatus as defined in claim 11, and whereinsaid movable means also includes a second member for engaging theconnecting tow, and when the connecting tow is cut, is adapted to guideone of the cut ends to the jet device.